After my interview with Ralph Nader about my book, ‘The Case Against George W. Bush,’ on April 17, 2021, I received an outpouring of support and encouragement.
From the many emails I received from that interview, it’s clear that many of you share my view that W. Bush should be investigated, if not convicted and jailed. Below are my thoughts on how we can best increase the chances Bush is at least investigated.
Since the Nader interview, I have concluded that few if any politicians will stick their necks out or go on the record against W. for many reasons. Some believe what he did was no worse that what other presidents have done.
Others are concerned that our country has more pressing immediate problems than angering those who think he wasn’t such a bad president or that the things he did were proper under the circumstances. While some of those concerns have some merit, none are in my view reasons to let W. escape justice.
Importantly, and perhaps counterintuitively, I now think that mentioning my book in outreach efforts to have W. investigated may not be useful, and it could even be a minus if that outreach seems like a book marketing campaign when the reason I wrote the book is to increase the chances that W. faces consequences for his criminal acts, criminal negligence leading up to 9/11, admitting to torturing people and taking our country by falsehoods into the unnecessary and disastrous 2003 Iraq war.
I believe that the most important point in reaching out and making contact with those who could start an investigation of W. is to stick to the most important issue, that W. should at least be investigated for what seem to be his crimes. Few know, for example, that W. Bush confirmed if not bragged about his approval of waterboarding prisoners, and that waterboarding has been considered torture (and a crime) under US law going back to at least 1922.
Therefore, I’m suggesting going to those whose nonpartisan job it is to go after suspected criminals.
Below are five different actions you could take to increase the chances that W. is at least investigated for what I believe are his crimes.
1. Write to the Department of Justice: Attached is a PDF of the letter that I recently sent to the head of the Department of Justice (DOJ). I sent similar letters to six others at the DOJ. Writing them may help garner someone’s attention there. Here is the contact info for the top seven people at the DOJ.
- Attorney General Merrick B. Garland
- U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001
- Director Anthony Coley
- Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530
- Acting Assistant Attorney General Helaine Greenfeld
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legislative Affairs, Main Justice Building, Room 1137950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530
- Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta
- U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001
- Acting Assistant Attorney General Kevin Jones
- Office of Legal Policy, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20530-0001
- Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid
- U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001
- Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco
- U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001
In writing, I suggest sticking to the one question:
“How can your office not go after George W. Bush, an admitted torturer and a man who lied to our country to start an unnecessary war that caused the death of over 500,000, many of them women and children?”
Of course, you should say or ask whatever you think best.
2. Report a crime to the Department of Justice: Link https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
In writing, I again suggest sticking to the one question: “How can your office not go after George W. Bush, an admitted torturer and a man who lied to our country to start an unnecessary war that caused the death of over 500,000, many of them women and children?”
3. Contact the FBI:
Members of the public can report violations of U.S. federal law or suspected terrorism or criminal activity as follows… https://www.fbi.gov/tips
In writing, I again suggest sticking to the one question: “How can your office not go after George W. Bush, an admitted torturer and a man who lied to our country to start an unnecessary war that caused the death of over 500,000, many of them women and children?”
4. Contact your local District Attorney about what Bush did:
In writing, I suggest sticking to the same question: “How can your office not go after George W. Bush, an admitted torturer and a man who lied to our country to start an unnecessary war that caused the death of over 500,000, many of them women and children?”
5. Contact your Representatives with the question:
In writing, simply ask: “How can your office not recommend going after George W. Bush, an admitted torturer and a man who lied to our country to start an unnecessary war that caused the death of over 500,000, many of them women and children?”
The most important point is to take some action, any action you’re comfortable with!
Thank you in advance for your commitment to the rule of law – for everyone.
Steven (Steve) C. Markoff
Author, The Case Against George W. Bush